In every life a little rain must fall . . . and then again, sometimes it is a raging storm! Unless you live a very unusual life there will be times when you experience great hurt and disappointment. No matter how good a person you are! It is just a fact of life.
It is during those painful moments when we (and those around us) discover just what we really are. Spiritual sounding talk is easy, but what happens when life comes crashing in around you? Solomon shares a truth when he says:
"If you fall to pieces in a crisis,
there wasn't much to you in the first place." (Proverbs 24:10, The Message)
I have often talked with my boys about preparing ourselves for the inevitable difficulties that come into our lives. You cannot afford to wait until something goes wrong before you seek the Lord and His strength. It must be something that we pay attention to on a daily basis in order to have a "spiritual root system" which can withstand the sudden and terrible storms of life. The unexpected death of a parent, spouse, child, or close friend. The revelation of a loved one engaged in some gross sin. The loss of your job. Any one of a countless number of storms.
No one is immune! In recent years our family has experienced several storms. I had a neck surgery that resulted in total paralysis on my left side and the prognosis for a quick recovery was not good. My mother had a massive stroke and has spent the past 3 years in a nursing home. Dad fell out and lay in the bathroom floor all day until my sister found him there -- he had a brain tumor which required surgery. My oldest son, Andy, fell about 30 feet one night onto a concrete patio, breaking his left wrist and his jaw in two places. I fell down some stairs and required lower back surgery.
Any one of these events could have provoked panic and paralyzing fear, but in each circumstance our family was able to deal with the problems in faith and confidence. It wasn't because of our personal intestinal fortitude, but the strength that is produced in a life of faith. We know that our own strength is never enough so we lean upon God and the relationship that has been building through the years.
God is faithful to His promises, which include His promise to never leave nor forsake us! Just like a growing friendship results in a bonding and increasing trust level, our growing relationship with the Lord results in a greater trust level and a real sense of bonding with Him. May your relationship with God give you a wonderful sense of confidence and trust that will undergird you and prepare you to face whatever storm might come your way.
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